New Greek Myths
by Deidei-chan111
Summary: New Greek Myths written by me Deidei-chan111
1. The Great Wave

**The Great Wave**

Long ago during the golden reign of the Greek gods and goddesses the shores of the oceans were calm, and peaceful, for Poseidon had no reason to disturb the beach dwellers. Then there came a time that Poseidon created the tsunami, though not on a whim or a fancy, to learn of his reasons we must first go to the beginning of the story.

Every night as Artemis drew her pale blue sleigh across the sky; her reindeer leading in their silver harnesses, the immaculate moon trailing behind with a splash of golden radiance left following, Poseidon watched her with caring eyes, watching so as to be assured that she was safe. Artemis was not only Zeus's most favored child, she was also Poseidon's favorite niece, when asked why he watched her night after night he would claim that the moon's tender, embracing light soothed him, and helped him to fall asleep. While everyday when Apollo flew overhead in his brilliant, flaming chariot pulling the great, blazing sun, Poseidon slept. Whenever Apollo wanted to land to visit Poseidon he found that he was sound asleep. While Apollo was Poseidon's favorite nephew, Poseidon didn't worry about his safety like he did Artemis. When Apollo started to get fed up with not being able to visit with Poseidon anymore; he asked his sister to talk to him about it.

One night Artemis landed near where Poseidon sat on the beach and walked over to him. "Poseidon," Artemis called. "We need to talk. Apollo has noticed that you're never awake during the day anymore. He wants to know why, I know but he wants me to ask. He wants to visit with you again."

"Oh, yeah I have been sleeping in pretty late recently," Poseidon hesitantly began, he didn't admit it but he also missed visiting with Apollo. "It's just I have trouble getting to sleep at night…" he lied.

"You do not! You are always watching me, I know why! I'm able, I won't get hurt, now, go to sleep!" Artemis exclaimed this in a very menacing voice.

The next day Apollo saw Poseidon lying on the shore under some palm trees, so he landed; to Apollo's displeasure Poseidon was dead asleep. As Apollo started to get back into his chariot he saw Pan playing his pipes and dancing in a nearby meadow with some of his fauns and nymphs. Walking over to Pan he thought up a plan to wake Poseidon up the next morning. Having reached Pan Apollo presented his plan to Pan who eagerly joined in on the scheme. That very night Artemis ignored Poseidon, as Apollo had instructed her to do, and then as dawn approached Poseidon stood up, stretched, and walked down the shore and under the water to his palace under the waves to go to bed. As the morning sun began its long journey over the horizon Pan leapt onto the shore with his fauns and they began to play their pipes loudly so as to wake Poseidon.

Having been woken from his sleep, so suddenly and much too soon, Poseidon threw off his covers, jumped out of his bed, and ran through the halls of the palace. Once outside of the palace Poseidon began to run faster and faster towards the shore to stop the pipes playing so he could go back to sleep, unaware that as he was running he was causing huge waves to swell and follow his every step on his very straight trail. As Poseidon ran up the shore to Pan and the fauns, so too did the waves, crashing and shoving on everything and everyone in their path, drowning some, throwing others, displacing all.

Poseidon stood over the sodden shape of Pan's body laying on the beach at his feet, his chest heaving with fury, face blazing red, teeth bared into a snarl, fists at his sides ready to swing if he would only let them, Poseidon proceeded to glare around with a piercing danger like gaze. Looking around Poseidon saw that he had made the waves crash and roar over the hapless creatures that frolicked there upon the beach. Poseidon's jaw dropped as he witnessed his creations turmoil, he had only meant to quiet them, never to hurt them. Pan coughed painfully lungs full of salt water, causing Poseidon to look down in anguish, appalled with his own masterpiece. Pan chuckled, "Well, you're awake as Apollo so wished."

Poseidon knelt down to help Pan his very being guilt ridden and seeking forgiveness. As Apollo approached, Poseidon looked up at him. "Is this your idea of a good time? This…t-this tidal wave! I don't know what to call it! I could have killed all of them! I could have killed Pan!" Poseidon snarled at Apollo for a while longer, and then calming down Poseidon listened to Apollo's plea for forgiveness. Through much discussion Poseidon finally agreed to sleep for part of the day and part of the night, for his favorite niece and nephew only though. Apollo felt horrible at his indirect hand in the harm of nymphs and fauns, and proceeded to promise to never try to force Poseidon to do anything he didn't want to do again.

Now Poseidon does not make tsunami on accident, he chooses when and where very carefully, weighing the risks and benefits. This is also why you see the tide following the phases of the moon, Poseidon still watches Artemis at night but also visits with Apollo during the day. The Japanese named Poseidon's great "tidal wave" tsunami, the Romans and Greeks had no actual name for it.


	2. Solar Eclispe

Long ago in the days of old, there was a day when the sky went black. Selene and Helios were in charge of the day and night then, riding their luminous chariots across the sky. Selene and Helios had gotten together and decided when each was to be in the sky, and they had changed Selene's schedule when she had found Endymion and fell in love with him. Before Selene was made to move Endymion to the cave, he had lain in the field with his sheep, and every night as Selene journeyed across the sky she watched him sleeping peacefully dreaming that the moon was his.

Every night as Selene rode across the sky, with four pure white mares leading her chariot, she looked down upon Endymion fondly; sometimes halting for a second to gaze upon him. Once a month she would descend from the sky to be with him, all the while he dreamt of holding the moon as his own as over time she bore him numerous children. Even now the moon is gone from the sky once a month and you'll see children with pale skin, pale eyes and pale hair who seem to radiate light from within them. But this tale is not about those children, it's about their mother and what mistake she once made and every once in a while does again.

She stopped to gaze down on Endymion…during the day. You know this now as a solar eclipse to the Greeks it was thought to be the sun's death; they were frozen in fear and shock. They mourned the loss of their sun and burned offerings to try to bring Helios back to the sky. Selene had halted her mares in the middle of the sky, eventually her chariot stood before Helios' chariot, with its blazing red stallions. Jupiter fumed with anger and thunder resounded, how dare his people be so frightened so much as to not burn offerings for him but to Helios. But as Helios went across the sky Selene realized her mistake and raced down too, blocking out his light a while longer. When Selene reached her home she saw Mercury waiting for her on her front steps, "Oh no," she gasped, this could only mean one thing: Jupiter had found out and was angry. "Oh Mercury, please tell me it isn't as bad as it looks!" She pleaded him.

"I wish I could," Mercury began. "But I cannot. It is as it is, Jupiter wishes to see you; he is not happy." With that said Mercury lifted into the air and flew off.

Selene went up to mighty Olympus; she kneeled before Jupiter's throne, her head bowed. "Oh mighty king of gods, I seek your mercy in your punishment bestowed to me."

"You blocked the sunlight from our people, you know you must pay. This must be quick for night is soon and you must be off." He paused a moment. "I shall give you three more chances before you and Helios are removed from position and replaced with my son and daughter. Only to return to the sky once a year." With that he dismissed her.

Selene went out that night and watched over Endymion, but the next day she used her first chance. Jupiter had her move Endymion to a cave so she wouldn't be so tempted to go during the day. She failed two more times after that which got her and Helios removed from postion and replaced by Apollo and Artremis.


	3. Gaea's troubles

Long ago when the earth, Gaea, was young she had plenty of water and plants on living on her to feed all her children, the animals. When water or plants began to run low Gaea would turn some of the ocean into rain to send to the land to grow more plants or to give the animals water. The animals only ate what they needed, and the plants only grew where they could; only taking what they needed. Young humans came and they only took what they needed, they respected their mother, they treated her nicely. Gaea was able to keep up with the demands of her new children, they grew slowly at first; but then they found fire, and started cutting down her trees to warm themselves during the long winter nights.

Young earth was still able to keep up with the demands of her youngest children; yet they always wanted more. Humans decided to quit moving around all the time and settle down and make houses. To do this they cut down more trees their mother accepted this and said 'I have plenty of trees, they can use some of them.' and so they did. Then her children discovered power and oil, Gaea started having trouble keeping up with all of her children's' demands. They had grown more and more and more.

Soon young earth was pushed to her limit, her youngest children demanded more and more with each day. She couldn't keep up with them: she wasn't able to grow enough plants, make enough rain, or keep the weather nice for her children. Soon there were people, who should have had very little rain, who had so much that they were flooding. There were people who should have had cold days, who were having hot days. Mother Gaea was getting warmer and warmer from all the work she was doing to try to provide for her children. Some of her children didn't have enough water and couldn't grow food to feed their own children, they were getting very sick because they needed water; but their mother couldn't give it to them because she was so pushed to the limit.

Gaea needed help from her children; but they wouldn't, they didn't know how to yet. Yet they were learning quickly every day; they soon learned that their cars made it hard for their mother to breath and that all the heat from the cars warmed her up more than she would normally be. They soon learned that they were taking too much of everything, they tried to slow down at using what their mother gave them; but they wanted too much. We, her children, are still fighting every day to protect our mother, because she is our only home, she can only do so much to provide for us.


End file.
